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AIM: To study the effect and the mechanism of crenulatin, an effective constituent of Chinese traditional medicine, on apoptosis of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells. METHODS: The following terminal concentrations of crenulatin were used in the study: 25 mg/L and 100 mg/L. Apoptosis of mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd. 3 cell line) was evaluated by flow cytometer, immunocytochemical assay (Fas, Bcl - 2) and Western blotting (caspase - 3) after culture for 24 h. RESULTS: Compared with control group, apoptosis of bEnd. 3 cells in 25 mg/L group was significantly inhibited ( P ＜0.05), but apoptosis in the 100 mg/L group was significantly increased (P ＜ 0.05). In apoptosis inhibited group, the Fas immunocytochemical staining was weaker, the positive cells were significantly decreased ( P ＜ 0.05) and caspase - 3 expression was decreased compared with control group; however, the Bcl - 2 staining was stronger and the positive cells were significantly increased ( P ＜ 0.05). On the other hand, in apoptosis increased group ( 100 mg/L group), the changes were just opposite. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of crenulatin on apoptosis of mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cells possesses a dual - direction change, inhibitive effect in 25 mg/L and stimulative effect in 100 mg/L group, respectively. The mechanism is related to the alterations of Fas/Bcl - 2 expression and caspase - 3 activity.
ABSTRACT
] AIM: To study the effect and the mechanism of crenulatin, an effective constituent of Chinese traditional medicine, on apoptosis of cerebral microvascular endothelial cells. METHODS: The following terminal concentrations of crenulatin were used in the study: 25 mg/L and 100 mg/L. Apoptosis of mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3 cell line) was evaluated by flow cytometer, immunocytochemical assay (Fas, Bcl-2) and Western blotting (caspase-3) after culture for 24 h. RESULTS: Compared with control group, apoptosis of bEnd.3 cells in 25 mg/L group was significantly inhibited (P
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AIM: To evaluate the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on the proliferation in cultured mouse cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (bEnd.3) . METHODS: Cultured cells were divided into five groups randomly, one as control group, the other four groups were 10-9, 10-8, 10-7 and 10-6 mol/L group. Effects of atRA on proliferation in bEnd.3 cells were detected by flow cytometry and immunocytochemitry of PCNA and MTT at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. The effects of atRA (10-6 mol/L group) on the expressions of angiogenic genes in bEnd.3 cells were studied using microarray. RESULTS: The results of MTT and flow cytometry showed that all- trans retinoic acid at concentration of 10-6 mol/L significantly inhibited the proliferation of bEnd.3 cells. Immunocytochemical staining showed the expression of PCNA was markedly decreased in bEnd.3 cells at 24 h after treatment with atRA. Microarray results demonstrated that there were 11 down - regulated angiogenic genes and 2 up - regulated angiogenic genes in 10-6mol/L atRA group. CONCLUSION: All - trans retinoic acid at concentration of 10-6mol/L may significantly inhibit the proliferation of bEnd.3 cells treated for 24 h ire vitro via down-regulation of angiogenic genes and PCNA expression.
ABSTRACT
AIM: To study the cytological characteristics and gene expression of normal cultured bEnd.3, a mouse brain microvascular endothelial cell strain. METHODS: The morphology of bEnd.3 was studied by light and electronic microscopy, its molecular markers were observed by immunocytochemistry. Cell proliferation kinetics and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry and MTT assay, PGE_2 level was measured by ELISA, and expression of the genes that closely related with vascular endothelial functions was studied by gene micro-array. RESULTS: bEnd.3 had morphological characteristics of microvascular endothelial cells (MVEC) growing in a cobblestone pattern, forming tube-like structure or capillary network and having microvilli. Furthermore, bEnd.3 showed positive staining for vW factor and CD34 and secreted high level of PGE_2 (644.55?30.24 ng/L). Gene micro-array analysis showed CD31, CD36, CD105 expression, and other genes closely related to microvascular endothelial functions also expressed at relatively high level. In addition, bEnd.3 responsed sensitively to mitogen such as basic fibroblast growth factor. CONCLUSION: bEnd.3 is a kind of MVEC, and it can be utilized to study the mechanisms of some diseases such as cancers and cardio- cerebral vascular diseases.